We don't really have a current airframe to refuel helicopters. As far as I am aware the KC-30B will not refuel them. There is talk of several KC-130s but we will have to wait and see.

Quoting UH60FtRucker (Reply 1):And what about adding a HIRSS to that unshielded engine exhaust?

I think this will come eventually for the army versions.

Nice looking birds though and they will make a great addition to the helo fleet. Will be interesting seeing these fly from the new amphibs when they both arrive as it will finally provide Australia with a credible amphib assault capability.

Quoting UH60FtRucker (Reply 1):And what about adding a HIRSS to that unshielded engine exhaust?

As a mere "civilian" I would have thought that might be a good idea..
but then I wondered if the Europeans(and their customers) have a different understanding of the IR threat.
The Eurocopter Tiger seen here in it's Aussie Tiger form appears to have little IR suppression(Euro versions appear the same)

Quoting Ozair (Reply 2):We don't really have a current airframe to refuel helicopters. As far as I am aware the KC-30B will not refuel them. There is talk of several KC-130s but we will have to wait and see.

Still... it might be a good idea to put in the plumbing for a refuel probe. Joint operations may provide the tanker support otherwise lacking.

But really, in the grand scheme, this is a minor detail. The overall helicopter sounds fantastic.

Quoting Ozair (Reply 2):Nice looking birds though and they will make a great addition to the helo fleet.

Absolutely. Definitely "looks right"

Quoting StealthZ (Reply 3):As a mere "civilian" I would have thought that might be a good idea..
but then I wondered if the Europeans(and their customers) have a different understanding of the IR threat.
The Eurocopter Tiger seen here in it's Aussie Tiger form appears to have little IR suppression(Euro versions appear the same)

I don't know a great deal about the design, but they may have a system that filters in cool air and mixes it into the exhaust as it is being expelled. They may also use materials surrounding the exhaust to help dissipate the heat. I don't know. But there are systems out there that can improve upon even these basic design features. The UH-60 actually has a fairly effective system... and the IR threat is still very serious. So I don't know if I would want to have even less than what I got!

But indeed, the IR threat is probably one of the scariest out their. You can take small arms fire and make it home, but a missile hit to the engine? That's usually a show stopper.

Quoting UH60FtRucker (Reply 4):don't know a great deal about the design, but they may have a system that filters in cool air and mixes it into the exhaust as it is being expelled. They may also use materials surrounding the exhaust to help dissipate the heat.

I couldn't find a lot of things but from this page i did learn that it has a IR supression system which fulfills or even surpasses the requirements of the nations which ordered the NH-90.